Macon beacon. [volume] (Macon, Miss.) 1859-1995, 1887-07-23

w. a few thousand dol
Ms% lars, Since the close
'I> of my college life |
had led a very or
rect and unevcntful career, working as
a bookkeeper in a large wholesale
house, dabbling in amateur authorship
as an amusement and keeping on good
terms with Aunt Julia. from a mixed
motive Of duty and sclf-interest. Her
deceasc and its effects upon my fortune
practically ended my residence in the
place OF my birth. No ties of init mate
friendship, affairs Of the heart, nor bus
mess prospects bound me there; I was
completely my own master; 1.-THE world
was all before me where TO choose
IN a laphazard kind of way, | set out
for a tour, the unexpected and most as
tonishing results Of which | have here
begun to set down.
The summer was spent at the sea-
side and the mountains, and the early
autumn found me at the city. NV
presence here was in fulfilIment of a
promise made six weeks before at Cape
May, to a young artist, between whom
and myself n chance acquaintance had
ripcned into something like mutual re-
gard. 1t was easy for me to promise
to spend a month with him at his home.
which, rs he told me, was Il gcntccl
clearinghouse in a quiet quarter of
the city, But | did not find him; in
stead, there was Il letter of apology
and regret, to the effect that he had
been suddenly called by cable to Rome
by the dangerous illness of a dear
brother.
Under the circumstances, it was the
most natural thing in the world that
] should remain in this place a
while; and having nothing better
TO do, | did so. Fritz's rooms at
the boarding-housc were at my service.
and at the end of the first week | had
found the dozen boarders TO be n
pleasant, cultivated and companion
able set. Searching as | was for nov
city, and not having idled long enough
to lind it tircsome, | concluded TO pass
some time here, Ny casual literary
efforts were resumed, and the streets,
the parks, the thcatcrs and the prints
rounded out my time.
However small the immediate circle
in which a man moves, his interest will
naturally become concentrated upon n
fraction of it. While | exchanged
polite greetings and commonplace talk
with all Of the ladies and gentlemen OF
Madame Brcucr's homelike establish.
mcnt, there was but one whose company
] thoroughly enjoyed. Peter Dineley
was a man Of about twice my years,
and in appearance much older. Hi,
grave and intellectual face bore deer
traces OF suffering, and learned from
Others that his earlier years had been
cloudcd by the effects of an unfortunate
habit, against which his present life
was a continual struggle. | shall prob.
ably have occasion TO describe the
events that led him once to refer to
this fact in my presence. While he
uniformly declined every thing like
conyiyial intercourse, he was fond OF
the society of bookish men, and BEING
graduate of my own Alma Mater, VIC
were drawn together at once. MANY
IN evening did we pass in each other,
apartments smoking, chess-playing and
discussing German literature, which
was his especial hobby.
Near the end Of an October dov -
long pedestrian tour about the city had
brought me near the place whcr,
Dingley was employed and | obeycd
an impulse TO call on him. |,
n general way he had told m,
that he was confidential clerk and
Office factotum of one of the prea,
manufacturers of the city. He hat
added that his employer was well ad
vanccd in years. was n millionaire,
benevolent, religious and his ow,
steadfast friend. Over the doorway o
the ground-iloor Office where | passe,
was n small sign, "Horace Bulstrode.
entered, and found Dinglcy bus
with several clerks. After greetin,
me he nodded TO the closed door of al
inner Office, and said:
''Mr. Bulstrodc is here. | woul
like to have you know him."
We saw him sitting unoccupied a
his desk. Dingley presented me. an
we shook hands. presume it was &C
cidental that the door was closed afte
us; II was fortunate, however, that tn
interview that followed was not oil
served or overheard. The place was S
dim at this hour that faces could not b
distinguished, and it was not till he ha,
lit The gas and turned again, that | wa
allie TO discover what manner of ma,
Mr.. Bulstrodc was. To my amazemen
his eyes no sooner rested upon me thai
ne turned CHASTITY pale he cluiche,
the air with both hands, and fell in
dead faint upon the sofa.
,Dingley WAS at first stupeicd will
alarm. and then was rushing out fol
hrln nut him DersmDtoyilv inta 4.